Forever
by Iridescent Swan
Summary: What happens when George goes up to that podium and talks about his deceased brother? Oneshot!


**A/N My first attempt on an Angsty fic... Hope I didn't mess up much xD Please R/R? ;;) **

**DISCLAIMER: Not my characters, nor my book. My plot and story though xD**

FOREVER

"...was gifted and talented, was known as such a happy, young soul. He was also said to be..."

_Was_ gifted. _Was_ talented. _Was_ known... Was, was, was.

They are wrong.

Fred IS gifted, IS talented, he IS a happy and young soul, and he IS and always will be Fred. He IS my brother, and nothing, not even death will change that. I hear Mum's muffled sobs as she cries in the comforting arms of our dad. Ginny is silent beside me, leaning on her boyfriend, Harry's shoulder. Harry Potter, the Boy who Lived. I clenched my fist so hard that it could have been a rock. The Boy who Lived. For once in my life I was actually jealous of that title. He lived. And where was Fred? In this dead, dull box. A stupid box. They were keeping my brother in a box! Nothing, not even Mum could keep him in there, nothing ever stopped Fred. Why can't the world see that? Why can't they just leave him alone?

"Fred Weasley will always be a beloved brother, son, friend, and comrade..."

At least they got that part right. I remember then our childhood: our first broomsticks, Ron destroying one of our broomsticks, us turning his toy into a spider... I almost smiled at that memory. However, nothing in the world could make me smile that easily anymore, especially memories. Most especially not the memory of the first funeral we went to, though we weren't real close with this uncle whose name I forgot.

"Mum, why—" Fred started.

"—are all the people—" I carried on.

"—crying?" he finished.

Mum wiped away her own tears and kneeled down beside us. "Well Fred, George, they are crying because they will never see him in this world anymore."

_Never see him in this world anymore..._ I was a kid back then, a carefree kid with his grinning brother who didn't have a care in the world either. Not even enough care to think about the consequences of trying to make people smile and be happy.

"Well Mum, at least he won't have to suffer seeing ugly Great-Aunt Muriel anymore!" Fred answered her.

It took Bill and Charlie everything of them to keep from laughing, but the damage was already done. That was the day when Great-Aunt Muriel officially started reserving her icy stares for us. That was the day when the two of us officially started devising our ingenious pranks, to keep our family happy. That was also the day when Fred and I never separated.

Never did we think about death. Never did we think that splitting up to help others would bring us apart. Forever.

"Forever shall we remember this young man who always made sure that the world would smile despite differences, hardships and sorrows. Nothing ever kept him from laughter."

That isn't always true. Fred had his own share of heartbreak, his own share of burdens that he couldn't carry on his own...

_Stop thinking like them George. You mean, he HAS his own share of heartbreak and burdens...It was never HAD._

The man then started calling out everyone in our family. First came Dad who eventually had to stay with Mum. Percy came up to tell us all what happened in the tower, then came Bill. Then Charlie came.

"Now, I give the floor to Fred's own brother and best friend, George Weasley."

Of course they'd call me. Of course they'd call the brother of the dead twin. Of course they wouldn't mind if this twin was dead inside, because they don't know how it feels. Only Fred would have known. Only Fred would have kept me from being dead as well.

My legs surprisingly didn't feel like the rotten jell-o we used to experiment over. They feel like nothing at all actually. But then again, I shouldn't be surprised. My brother is... He is...

"Sonorous. Good morning," I started. I almost expect Fred to take his turn to say something, but then I remember. He's not here. He no longer will complete my sentences.

"Well, good morning. So yes, I'm George Weasley."

Is there anything left for me to say? I couldn't bring myself to say anything because those memories are mine. Mine and Fred's alone. We vowed to each other, through pinky toe swear, that what happens between the two of us stays between the two of us.

"Yes, Fred Weasley is my brother, for many reasons actually. First of all, we share the same face, the same hair, the same room, even the same sentences. Up until now though, we can't say who really is the better looking twin, as Ginny would seem to change her mind everyday depending on which of us she would not be mad at."

Ginny gave a weak smile, but a smile nonetheless. Should I smile too?

"Um..."

What do I say now? Fred was, no, IS the one who usually negotiates, he wa-IS the vocal one. Forge, stop thinking like them. Fred IS, Fred IS, Fred IS!

"Fred is fearless, right Mum? Always coming back for more of those chocolate wands you make for us in Christmas even if you'd always end up chasing us back to our room, whether we still had our pants on or not."

The audience chuckles a bit as I got torn inside. The world is laughing while my brother is...while my brother is not. Should I laugh too?

"Fred is also always ready. Like everyone is supposed to be: wand in hand, map in pocket, chin up, plan in mind, ear in proper place—" People laughed. "A good head on his shoulders, and a good heart."

I look down to my family and see them smiling, though with tears. Harry couldn't bring his self to look at me. The Boy Who Lived couldn't look at me. My brother couldn't look at me either...He's not here.

"Fred," I look to the box at my side. "Well, the dude inside of this box as I don't remember my brother being so stiff like this." Laughter erupted again. "You will always be my brother. You will never go away really. People like you live on. Forever. You ARE, not were, always there. You ARE, not were, a gifted, talented and happy soul."

I turn to everyone once more. Mum was sobbing quietly on Dad's shoulder. Percy's face was buried in his hands. Bill's expression is like the one he had when he had just swallowed the beetle we placed in his soup in Egypt.

"He IS Fred Weasley, for crying out loud! He put—well almost put his face as Weasley's Wizard Wheezes logo, the vanity of my brother...Honestly. He is probably laughing at us right now, wearing such expressions on our faces when we could be laughing at the sun!"

I wince at the last words. It is painful, yes, but Fred never liked moping. If he were to be in my place, he'd be making sure that everyone smiles despite the coldness of the world. I look up at the sky to keep the tears from falling. Merlin, how I hate crying... I then turn again to the still, white box beside me. This isn't my brother.

"You ARE here, in everyone. In my face even! Except for the ear...You blessed everyone with your presence, with your jokes, your friendliness, your dung bombs... Was there ever a time when we cried while you were in the room? Even Filch's office could have held a party, as long as you were there. We love you Fred. Forever."

I wore a smile on my face going down, and a soft breeze hit me. I know that it's Fred. I know that he is here, and he always will be. Forever.


End file.
